The ground servicing of aircraft requires a number of different specialized aircraft service vehicles that must be driven to the parked aircraft and then parked in a proper predefined parking position relative to the aircraft, in order to carry out their specialized service tasks. For example, such an aircraft service vehicle may especially be a baggage or cargo loading vehicle that is driven perpendicularly relative to the aircraft longitudinal axis into a parking position beside an open cargo hold door, and then parked in this designated parking position. From there, baggage is transported into the cargo hold of the aircraft by means of an inclined conveyor belt on the vehicle.
Another example of an aircraft service vehicle is a freight lift vehicle that lifts cargo or freight load units to an open cargo hold door, for the load units then to be loaded into the cargo hold of the aircraft. Yet another example of an aircraft service vehicle is a catering service vehicle that lifts catering containers storing catering trolleys and catering service items to an open door for loading the catering items onto the aircraft. Still other examples of aircraft service vehicles include aircraft maintenance vehicles, aircraft refueling vehicles, passenger boarding stairway vehicles, ground-based mobile power units or electrical generator units, ground-based mobile air conditioning units, or the like.
All of these service vehicles must be driven into the immediate proximity of the aircraft and parked in a predefined parking location relative to the aircraft, in order to carry out their various service tasks. In this regard there is a risk, due to steering errors by the driver of the vehicle, that the vehicle will collide with a component of the aircraft, especially for example, an engine of the aircraft. Needless to say, any such collision can cause significant damage, which may result in increased downtime of the aircraft. In any event, any collision, regardless how minor, requires a thorough inspection of the affected aircraft component or components.